It is known to provide a motor vehicle having a controller operable to control the motor vehicle to perform one or more functions. For example, in a vehicle having stop/start functionality the controller is operable to stop an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle is stationary for more than a prescribed period of time, such as when stopped at a traffic light. The controller restarts the engine when the driver releases a brake of the vehicle.
It is to be understood that components associated with the vehicle are rated to endure a prescribed number of stop/start cycles before reaching an endurance limit of the components. Some vehicles such as taxis may be subject to a substantial amount of urban driving where stops are made frequently during the course of a journey and many journeys are made each day. The endurance limit of one or more components may therefore be reached sooner than in the case of a vehicle subject to normal domestic consumer use and not operated under commercial or even abuse conditions.
It is against this background that the present invention has been conceived. Embodiments of the invention may provide a motor vehicle controller which addresses or obviates the above problem. Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, claims and drawings.